Aspiration:  

Most of us aspire to achieve more in life: for ourselves, for our loved ones and for our community. Imagine what a huge setback it must be for those who are forced to abandon their homes and countries owing to war or persecution. Suddenly, they are faced with so much uncertainty: Where will they find a safe place to stay? How can they rebuild their lives?

It is an entirely legitimate aspiration to want to live in peace and safety. Those of us who have not had to live through such a nightmare should do what we can to make sanctuary seekers feel welcome in our community. We can make a difference and help them hope once again.

Believe:    

Some who seek asylum do so because they are unable to live according to their beliefs in their home country. For example, a convert to Christianity in Iran lives under a constant threat of imprisonment and interrogation due to their beliefs.

The City of Sanctuary movement aims to challenge the myths about asylum that appear in the newspapers and in social media. Only by making people aware of the real facts and figures can we combat the unfounded beliefs that are often exploited to divide our communities.

Dignity    

Sadly, people who apply for asylum in the UK all too often experience a loss of dignity and self-respect. Unlike some European countries, the UK does not not allow asylum seekers to work, at least not in the first year of what can be a very long wait for a decision on their application to stay here. After 12 months they may be able to fill one of the jobs on the Home Office’s shortage occupation list.

The desire to work and to pay back something in taxes to the country they have come to is one of the most common issues that asylum applicants mention as undermining their dignity. Others mention housing grievances, for example, being allocated accommodation in crowded housing that does not meet the standards set for social housing.

Empathy  

If we are to show human solidarity with those seeking sanctuary, we must first try to imagine what it must be like to have to flee your country of origin for reasons beyond your control – to lose your home and direct contact with family members and other loved ones. If we can put ourselves in their place, we should be better able to help give them the support they desperately need.

To read more about the experiences of people who seek sanctuary in our country, please see https://www.migrationstoriesnw.uk

Flourish:  

When we have supportive environment, we can grow and develop – we have the ingredients to thrive. To provide sanctuary for someone who is fleeing persecution is a means of enabling someone to put down roots and start to rebuild their life and hopefully flourish.

Many refugees have achieved great successes in their new lives (for example musicians Rita Ora and  Freddie Mercury;  politicians such as Henry Kissinger and scientists such as the physicist Hans Bethe). For others flourishing may be living in peace in a supportive community, achieving individual daily milestones and dreams.

The Chester City of Sanctuary group works towards helping sanctuary seekers to flourish in their new lives.

Growth:  

We may all want to feel optimistic, organised and be able to develop and grow. This can be very difficult if you face circumstances that force you to flee your home.

Locally there are an increasing number of ‘places of sanctuary’ – places or organisations that have pledged to offer solidarity, compassion and inclusion to those seeking sanctuary. We can all grow by bringing people together, offering support and community.

Hope:    

Those who seek sanctuary here are hoping for a better life, one free from the persecution and violence that forced them to face the difficulties of seeking asylum elsewhere.

The organisation www.hopeforrefugees.org has a vision where ‘every refugee and displaced person has the  opportunity to rebuild their lives with dignity and hope, free from fear and oppression’. The group envisions ‘communities where refugees are welcomed, supported and empowered to contribute to society’.

We, the Chester Group of the City of Sanctuary share this hope.

Inspired:  

There is so much inspiration to be drawn from stories of survival, resilience and the unwavering spirit of refugees who have been forced to flee their homes. The courage to leave a terrible situation and the strength, determination and resilience to start again should be a great inspiration to others. 

Inspirational stories can be found in books, poems, films, podcasts and websites. Our group website has lists of such stories listed under ‘Refugee Week’ posts each year. Local libraries also have a book collection ‘Stories of Sanctuary’ you can ask to see.

Journey:    

Seeking sanctuary and becoming a refugee inevitably involves a journey, both physically and emotionally. Unfortunately the journey does not end with the arrival at a ‘safe’ country as there is then the asylum system to navigate and the challenges of adapting to a new life, language and culture.

Individually we may not be able to influence the first part of the journey but we can all help to create a welcoming environment in our local communities. Even just a warm smile can be a positive experience for someone facing the unfamiliar.

The Red Cross produced an album (also available on Spotify) called ‘The Long Road’. Have a listen to some of the tracks – most are in the musicians language and also in English at different times in each track.

Known:   

Those seeking sanctuary in the UK, for example, are unlikely to be known to anyone at first unless they have family or friends here. This must be a very strange and scary time. Everything is unfamiliar. It takes time to become established. 

Chester as a city has been very welcoming of people seeking sanctuary,       enabling them to become known. For example there is a regular weekly       drop in for asylum seekers and language lessons locally. Wesley Church, recently awarded Church of Sanctuary status, was key to enabling  Ukrainian visitors to get together with each other and build a community here in Chester. 

When locals meet sanctuary seekers and become become friends they can understand people’s needs more easily and successfully work together to help meet the need.

Life:      

The ‘Right to Life’ under the Human Rights Act in the UK is an absolute right meaning it cannot be taken away by the state. A very basic declared Universal Human Right is that ‘everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person’.

In the UK asylum is offered if you are unable to live safely in your home country due to persecution (serious, targeted mistreatment) and authorities in that country fail to protect you.

Memories: 

Refugees carry with them a multitude of memories, both positive and negative, shaped by their experiences before, during, and after fleeing conflict or persecution. These memories can include cherished moments of home, the trauma of violence, and the hopes for a future in a new country. The way these memories are shaped and shared can be a significant aspect of understanding the refugee experience. We all have memories and so we can develop empathy with people through shared memories and experiences.

Nurtured: 

When people are given a chance, nurtured to become their best selves, amazing things can be achieved. People can live happily in a new society and sometimes go on to make landmark contributions. Did you know these people were refugees:

• The founder of M&S
• Iman and Alek Wek world famous supermodels
• Sergey Brin co-founder of google
• Albert Einstein, scientist
• Khaled Hosseini author of the Kite Runner
• Nobel laureate the Dalai Lama
• M.I.A., Rita Ora, Freddie Mercury musicians

Not all refugees reach such dizzying heights and nor should they be expected to do so – equally most of us do not either!

Opportunity:  

Those seeking sanctuary here are not looking for ‘handouts’ they want to work to support themselves but, whilst awaiting a decision as to whether they will receive refugee status, they are not allowed to work. Whilst for some, the trauma they have experienced may mean they would be unable able to work immediately, others just want the opportunity to look for work to improve their own well-being and to contribute to society.

‘Lift the Ban’ is a coalition of more than 300 nationwide organisations campaigning to allow those seeking asylum to work. More information is available via  https://lifttheban.co.uk

Protection:  

A person seeking asylum is someone who is seeking protection from               persecution in their home country. The UK has agreed, under the Refugee Convention and international law, to provide protection.

UK law states the persecution must be sufficiently serious as to constitute a severe violation of a basic human right.

Quality of life: 

Those arriving in the UK seeking sanctuary have no choice as to where, or with whom, they share accommodation which is often of poor quality. The individual is not allowed to work and must rely on £7 a day for everything – food, clothes, toiletries, travel. The uncertainty waiting for the decision on the asylum claim causes great anxiety and individuals may become isolated, some unable to speak the languages of others in their accommodation.

One lady wrote of her experiences in the asylum system:

I forgot my name
Really what was my name
Who am I
What am I
What am I waiting for

The asylum system is no welcome and does not offer a good quality of life.

Respect: 

Respect for the fact that an individual has managed to leave a situation of persecution and start again often navigating language, culture, and religious differences whilst also mourning for the loss of family, home, and community. Respect not pity.

Skills: 

Refugees and asylum seekers do not choose to come to the uk for better jobs – they are forced to find protection outside of their home country. Many had good lives and jobs before they had to leave. As just one example, the British Medical Association estimated in 2022 that there were over 2000 refugee doctors in the country many awaiting additional training to allow them to work.

Translation: 

If you were moved to another country where you could not speak the language, how would you feel? How would you manage everyday activities?

When we see people locally struggling to use English, if we remember this we may be more patient and encouraging.

Understanding:

Why do we, and other groups, organise events such as these? 

Our hope is that you may gain some understanding of the asylum process and of the difficulties individuals experience when arriving in the country. To see a person rather than a news statistic.

Vision: 

The Chester group of the City of Sanctuary holds the vision that the UK will be a welcoming place of safety for all, being proud to offer sanctuary to people fleeing violence and persecution.

The Chester group is an affiliated group, part of a nationwide network of the national City of Sanctuary. For more information please see our website and that of the national group https://cityofsanctuary.org

Wisdom: 

Wisdom is being able to act on the basis of knowledge, understanding and experience rather than jumping to conclusions on flimsy evidence.

We can aim to gain wisdom by listening to those with ‘lived experience’ of the asylum system be they in our communities, in films, books or podcasts (for suggestions see our website or visit a local library)

Xenophobia:

Is a fear of people perceived to be different. It often arises from a lack of understanding and a fear of the ‘unknown’ . For a country the effects can be devastating, leading to division, prejudice or violence but on an individual level, for those showing xenophobia or experiencing it, it leads to fear and also missing out on a more open, wider experience of life.

The best way to breakdown xenophobia is by getting to know others – often people realise they have more in common than they ever imagined.

Youth : 

Children are dramatically overrepresented among the world’s refugees. Though they make up less than one third of the global population, children comprised 40 per cent of the world’s refugees in 2023. (https://data.unicef.org)

Zero- tolerance:  

When we hear things relating to those who seek sanctuary that we don’t agree with, we should speak out – not in an aggressive way, as nobody responds to that, but we can listen to people’s opinions and experiences and maybe offer an alternative view based on our own. Conversation rather than a confrontation is usually more effective.